HOUSTON — Prosecutors say three women accused of running a sweetheart scam conned a 75-year-old man out of more than $100,000.
They said the scam lasted almost an entire year until the Harris County District Attorney's Office got an anonymous tip.
"This is absolutely a sweetheart scam," said prosecutor Sheila Hansel. "This is a 75-year-old man who was eventually convinced that a 22-year-old girl was going to marry him."
Hansel works in the consumer fraud division and said when this case came across her desk, it sounded familiar.
"This started like many of these types of scams. They watch ATMs," she said.
Court records show the women are accused of first approaching the victim last July for money.
"To pay their rent, to buy them a vehicle, to help them start a business - and then the big charade was one of them had cancer," Hansel said.
Prosecutors said one of the women is now a wanted fugitive. By sharing this story, the DA's office is hoping someone will turn in 22-year-old Savannah Bimbo.
They said she and another one of the women charged, Sue Ellen Stanley, are also suspects in a different case.
“So they finished that scam, got caught in that scam, got indicted but not arrested and they are still out, they find a new mark and start working over this victim," Hansel said.
She said the scam was fortunately stopped before the victim got married.
“As we age, we are all going to go through periods where we are lonely, where we want to feel needed and necessary and desired, but you’ve got to not let those feelings overwhelm your common sense," Hansel said.
Prosecutors identified the third woman charged as Jessica Bimbo. She has yet to be arrested.
Investigators believe there could be more victims.